JULY 2013 ISSUE Indiana Governor’s Cup Weather Wins in Madison by Craig Fjarlie Cancelled The Ohio River can be a fickle friend. Over the years it has served as a boundary line, a source of transportation, irrigation and power, and a place for work and play. It also has been a source of misery through flooding, danger, destruction, even death. The river’s down side was on display when it was time for the 2013 Madison Regatta. On Wednesday before the race, officials met and cancelled all activity on Friday. It was still hoped the events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday could go on as planned. Yes, the water level would have to drop, and adjustments would need to be made to the layout of the pit area, but it was premature to announce cancellation of the entire event. On Friday, hope began to dim. Activity on Saturday was cancelled, but there was still a possibility that conditions would improve enough for an abbreviated program to take place on Sunday. Friday evening, all the boats went through the Regatta parade. On Saturday, the boats were lined up on Vaughn Drive above the pit area. The public was allowed in to get an up-close look. Drivers held an autograph session. Vendors made some sales, enough to avoid a complete bust. A replica of the first Gale V was on display. Saturday evening the sky was clear and the fireworks show went on without a hitch. Sunday, the boats were again lined up on Vaughn Drive. There was another autograph session, and the public again could get close to the boats. The restored Miss U.S. IV was on site, and its Allison engine was started twice so fans could hear the roar. Just after noon it was announced that the regatta was cancelled and would not be rescheduled. The river was within four feet of the judges’ stand, which has been renamed in honor of the late Wib Heitz. A few of the boats had name changes since Sacramento. The Jones 9 was still Red Dot but had the words Presented by Bello’s Pizza on the engine hood. Webster’s 22 was Miss Broadway Tavern, The Schumacher’s 37 was Beacon Plumbing. Muscatel’s leased 14 had no name on the hull. Late Sunday afternoon, fans began drifting away and boats were moved elsewhere in town. It was a disappointment, of course, but people who live near the Ohio River understand its nature. The regatta will be held next year, and with a little luck the river will be on better behavior. Below left is the U-6 Miss Madison display at the Broadway Tavern on display with the 5 Graham Trucking, 22 Miss Broadway Tavern, and 57 FEDCO . Below right is another reason to cancel the Madison race, debris, and lots of it. ~ Chris Denslow photos MEET DOUG FORD H1 UNLIMITED’S NEW CHIEF ENGINEER Interviewed by Clint Newman at the Madison Regatta UNJ: I know you have been around the boats for many, many years. What was your first involvement with the unlimiteds? Ford: I grew up in Seattle, if I ever grew up at all, that is. My first involvement was with the Slo- mo-shun crew. I lived in the Bellevue area, and I used to ride my bicycle down to San Sayres house on Hunt’s Point. He kind of adopted me, and I became the first little kid on the Slo-mo- shun crew. UNJ: As far as your professional background, Doug Ford Clint Newman you are an engineer. Ford: Yes, it is because of these boats that I began studying aerodynamics and hydrodynamics as a kid. I wound up in an honors program at the University of Washington. I’m an aeronautical engineer by trade. UNJ: Is there a conflict between aerodynamics and hydrodynamics in these unlimiteds? Ford: Not a conflict, exactly. But, they are a lot different! These boats have a combination of both, of course. That makes them rather complicated. They are more aerodynamic than hydrodynamic except for what’s in the water, like the rudder, skid fin, and the propeller. They are a special breed of cat, too! They are what we call “super- cavitating hydrofoils.” Things don’t work like an underwater airplane wing at all. It’s quite different. UNJ: I know this is your passion, but what is your “day job?” Ford: I finally let go of my job at Lockheed. I was a Vice President with the Lockheed Corporation. I did a lot of my work in the “Skunk Works”, which some people U-2 F117 SR71 haven’t heard of. That is a classified area where the U2 (the “Dragon Lady” high altitude spy plane), the SR 71 (the “Blackbird”, Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft), and the F117 (the “Nighthawk”, stealth ground attack aircraft) came from. Now I am just doing consulting. That means I can spend a little more time on the boats without worrying about vacation time and scheduling. I can enjoy my passion, but still do work on my schedule. UNJ: You have consulted with a number of teams over the years. Ford: Even when I was a kid, I did a lot before I had a degree in anything. After I earned my advanced degrees, I have done even more work on a lot of boats. The most prominent was the Miss Budweiser team. I did all of their wind tunnel testing, and did aerodynamic designs for them. UNJ: Are the teams today doing much wind tunnel testing? Ford: I haven’t done any for quite a while. The teams are interested in doing it. You have to test in the right kind of wind tunnel. If the wind tunnel isn’t configured right so it will simulate the water going under the boat, you don’t get the right answers. The tunnel I use is in Marietta, Georgia. It still costs money to run there. Unless someone is going to step up with a checkbook, you can’t wind tunnel test! UNJ: If you had to pick a favorite boat over the years, who would it be? Above left the 1957 U-77 Miss Wahoo. ~ HARM photo. At right the replica U-77 Miss Wahoo in 2009 ~ Michael Prophet photo Ford: Miss Wahoo. After the Slo-mo-shun IV crashed, I was without a favorite boat as a kid. I grew up then with Mira Slovak and the Miss Wahoo. I loved that boat to death! Looking back on my history, that’s the boat I really longed for, and now they have the new replica at the Hydroplane Museum in Kent. The boat is really pretty, better looking than the original one. UNJ: What about a favorite driver or two? Ford: It’s hard to beat Bill Muncey and Mira Slovak. Both were friends of mine, Mira still is. He lives in Southern California, and I talk to him occasionally. Muncey was hard to beat. You loved him or hated him back then. He drove without a stopwatch; he drove by the seat of his pants. I don’t think there will ever be a driver better than Bill Muncey. UNJ: You are the new H1 Chief Engineer. What are your duties? Ford: They are somewhat varied and they are evolving. Primarily, we are trying to bring somebody into the sport with a technical engineering background. You can referee the rules, but it is very hard to make technical rules or technical changes in the rules. So, they brought me on to do that. We Above left is Bill Muncey, on the right is Mira Slovak ~ HARM photos will take a look at rules involving engine fuel flow, all that kind of stuff. We are taking a look at the safety aspect of things like skidfin rods, rudders, and that type of things, certain aerodynamic things that we may or may not put on the boats. Back in the days of the Unlimited Racing Commission, I was the Director of Safety, Technology, and Competition. I did that for 12 years, helping write the rules back then, including cockpit standards and everything else. So I’m doing this type of thing again for H1. UNJ: Mike Noonan (Chief Referee) has mentioned experimenting with GPS systems. I’m sure you will also be looking at that. Ford: Yes, Mike and I are both looking at that. The idea is that nobody likes these 5 liter type starts, dragging the boats around. Those of us who have been around for a long time remember fighting for lanes and doing everything you could do. We want to bring that back to the sport. It’s very hard with these new configuration boats. They can start from a standing start . they accelerate pretty rapidly. To fix that, we are trying to find a way to not only make sure they don’t drop below a certain speed (which the GPS can do if we track them) but also, if there is an infraction because the boat is turned the wrong way, out of view of the helicopter referee, we can track that. UNJ: I guess that part of the problem is instituting new technology on a budget. Ford: You are exactly right! We used to say, “Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?” Safety and competition is the same way. UNJ: I have been meaning to order a copy of your new book, “What Were They Thinking!” I remember when you consulted with former unlimited driver Todd Yarling of Madison, Indiana, on a new, very innovative two-wing boat.